Brooklyn's Coney Island is already world famous for its hot dogs, but for one family, the popular food now has even more special significance.

When Sgt. Shawn Jamieson, 26, knew he was returning home from being stationed in Italy for the past four years, he got his buns in gear, literally, to set up a very creative way to surprise his family for his homecoming.

"My sister-in-law invited me down saying she bought tickets for the Cyclones game, and had a bunch of things planned for the kids," Courtney Jamieson, 23, of Newburgh, N.Y., told GoodMorningAmerica.com. "My husband was like, 'Oh, go down and see her. It'll be nice.'"

Because she lives upstate, Jamieson was reluctant to travel all the way to Brooklyn with her two young daughters, Gabrielle, 4, and Genavieve, 6-months-old, but ultimately agreed.

"My sister-in-law was the master behind this whole plan," said Jamieson. "She told me we were doing this hot dog race in the fourth inning."

As the family was standing on MCU Park's baseball field on Aug. 27, three people dressed in hot dog costumes came barreling toward them. Then the winner of the race gave Jamieson a big, unexpected hug.

"They did a little hot dog race and he was the winner, obviously on purpose," Jamieson explained of her husband's surprise. "And he came over and hugged me, and I didn't' know it was him, and then he just took off his costume and I was pretty shocked."